Gotta Be You
by graciecaligurl
Summary: Stella and Jo receive One Direction tickets for the graduation after a long, grueling senior year. But will this concert experience live up to their expectations? Their feelings might change after Stella survives a Los Angeles power outage while stuck in an elevator with none other than Niall Horan. DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Direction, Gotta Be You, Coach, Converse,or Aerosmith
1. Chapter 1

"Ladies and gentlemen, the class of 2012!"

Our principal said these last few words with a smile, gesticulating all the while in the loving manner of a mother. With this simple statement, she sent four hundred plus students, all graduating from our large private high school, off into the adult world. Not knowing where to go next, not knowing anything about the world outside our pristinely groomed football field and wrought-iron gates, we proceeded to throw our graduation caps into the air, screaming, laughing, and crying all the while. And just like that, we were high school graduates.

"Hey! Jo!" I tried, to no avail, to get the attention of my best friend, who was sitting three rows behind me. After a few more unanswered calls, I followed her unnaturally blonde curls to the nearest row and tapped her on the shoulder. "Jo! We did it!"

"Um, yeah, duh," she said, smiling through the sarcasm. "Of course we did it. Or shall I say, of course you did it, Miss Harvard University. I wasn't quite sure if I'd make it out in four years, but I had no doubt about you."

Needless to say, Jo wasn't the best student. Plenty of our classmates were much worse off than her, but she had potential; she simply valued her social life more than the grades on her weekly Physiology tests. On the other side of the spectrum, I fought tooth and nail my junior and senior years, taking primarily AP and honors classes, to ensure an easy college acceptance. Corresponding to my dedication and hard work were my acceptances to eight of the nine schools to which I had applied. In the fall, I would be off to the east coast with Jo, me attending Harvard pre-med courses and her studying cosmetology at Boston University. Despite our obvious differences, we could not stand being separated for too long.

"Your hair looks gorgeous today, hun," I say genuinely. Although some girls would kill for her natural, straight brown hair, the blonde curls suited her nicely. She had one of those faces that shone brightly no matter what framed it.

"Thanks, Stell. Have you given any more thought to my offer?" she asked slyly, eyeing my dark brown hair with a desperate look. For years she had always said I would look better with blonde highlights, "a little accent here and there." However, I just didn't care about my appearance as much as she obviously did. I frequently straightened my curly and unmanageable hair, but I preferred my converse to her sky-high stilettos, always carried my ripped and frayed shoulder-sling bag instead of her stylish Coach purses, and only wore makeup on occasion, contrary to her consistently flawless face.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I don't think I'm ready to go full out sorority girl before I'm even on campus." I constantly poked fun at Jo's desire to be accepted by the most elite sororities during Rush week.

"Haha, very funny," she said without humor. "You look very pretty today…" Her voice stretched out at the end so I knew that was not the end of her opinionated sentence.

"But…?"

"But…are you sure you don't want to look a little more stylish for your date tomorrow night?"

I smiled, knowing she was referring to our concert plans. We bought last minute tickets for the One Direction show, treating ourselves after a long and hard senior year. We planned to drive up to Los Angeles directly after our graduation celebrations and spend the night in the city. Then the next day, we would see the show, spend another night, and then drive back down to San Diego Monday afternoon. Our parents surprised us with an amazing reservation at one of LA's most famous hotels. They really knew how to get on our good sides.

Jo knew I had a soft spot for Harry Styles, the most attractive member of the band, in my opinion. His beautiful British accent made me melt, and his voice, especially when it was wrapped around the band's touching lyrics, sounded like an angel's. "Hmm, what exactly did you have in mind?" I smiled, sensing a full-blown makeover on its way.

Surely enough, at my words, I could practically hear the cogs start whirring in her brain. She started speaking, rambling, hardly making sense: "Well, let's start with your hair. I mean, we could highlight it blonde, or we could give you some lowlights, or just make you a ginger! You would look good with any color really, because your skin tone is just perfect! I think you take it for granted, because you don't even know how many girls would kill for your ivory color! Speaking of skin, we could go to the mall before we leave tonight and grab some Mac. You'll need some concealer, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Oh, and while we're there we should definitely shop for some new dresses! I know you have a lot of dresses, but you should get a new one for our trip! I need a new dress too…I think I'll get a bubble skirt one. Or do you think I should get a sexier style? What am I talking about? Back to your hair: we should definitely give you some layers, or maybe just cut a few inches off the bottom. It's almost to your hips now, nobody will even know the difference. But what if we gave you a bob?! It would give you a new look for college and—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. First of all, I am not getting a bob. And I seriously doubt whether I should let you near my neck with a pair of scissors in the first place. And I am not dying my hair any color, no matter what my skin tone. I can use your makeup instead of buying a whole bunch of face paint that I'll never use again." Here she looked disappointed, so I scrambled to give her something to work with. "But you're right, I could use a new dress. Meet me at the mall later?"

"Yes ma'am! I plan to stay there until we find you the perfect fit for Mr. Styles!" She looked overjoyed at the thought, and I felt myself grow happy at the thoughts of shopping, driving to LA with Jo, and seeing my favorite band in concert.

"Well, until four o'clock Miss Jones. We don't want to catch too much of the Los Angeles traffic."

"Yeah, yeah. See you later! And congrats, graduate," she said with a small wave, and then she scurried off to find her family and celebrate our new right of passage. I turned and did the same, thinking of only how truly lucky I was.


	2. Chapter 2

"Wow, look at this place!" As we pulled up to our hotel, I could not believe my eyes. The stories rose high into the sky, towering above, staring down at the hustle and bustle of the city. Just looking up at the top gave me a sincere sense of vertigo. I quickly pulled my eyes back to the road, steering my small but reliable Kia Soul into the nearest parking space. I stepped carefully out of the driver's seat wearing my new pair of blue converse high-tops—the exact shade of blue as my new dress that was now folded neatly in my suitcase. I proceeded to the trunk of my car and pulled out our luggage as Jo stepped out of the passenger seat. She slid her phone into her Coach bag, which she then slung over her shoulder. She shut the door and walked to the back of my car, her heels clicking softly on the pavement. She looked me up and down, her eyes lingering on my tattered pair of sweats and fitted white shirt, as well as my knotted hair, which hung messily in a bun on the top of my head.

"Stella, you know I love you. But let's go get started on your makeover," she stated in a falsely maternal voice. I stuck my tongue out at her, threw my duffel bag roughly over my shoulder, and marched into the lobby, hearing her heels click quickly behind me as she shuffled to get her rolling suitcase.

I checked in with the front desk and retrieved our two room keys while Jo stood nearby, checking her reflection in her phone. We then entered the elevator and proceeded to the sixteenth floor. As we stepped out of the elevator, Jo said, "Look, our room is right across from the elevator! Score! Now I know I won't get lost!"

"That's good. What would I do without you?" I asked in a mock serious voice, as I pushed the key into the lock. I turned the handle and looked upon a much more beautiful view than I imagined I would see. The entire back wall of the suite was made of glass, offering a perfect view of the Los Angeles skyline. The sun was setting, and it placed different splashes of pink and orange and purple across the horizon.

Resorting to my childish nature, I ran ahead of Jo and jumped on the bed furthest from the window. "Dibs on this bed!" I yelled, kicking off my converse and pulling out my hair tie. Jo played along, removing her shoes and even unbuttoning her skinny jeans so she could jump on the beds with me. After about five minutes, we both collapsed, breathing heavily, onto the now messily topped mattresses. Wild giggles started escaping my mouth, and soon I couldn't help the waves of hysterical laughter. I glanced sideways and noticed Jo giggling too, her face turning pink from the absurdity of the whole situation. After a couple minutes, I finally caught my breath and sat up. "I'm going to take a shower, and then I am yours for fixing. No hair dye, tattoos, or piercings, but other than that, I'm giving you full reign. Use it well," I warned, before skipping off to the bathroom.

When I returned, wrapped tightly in a soft white towel, my long hair clean and flowing gently down my back, Jo had set up camp. The entire room was full of her beauty products—a hair dryer, a flat iron, a curling iron, and various hair products in one corner, what looked like an entire Mac counter on the table, and my new blue dress, a black blazer I had never seen before, and a pretty pair of nude wedges laid on the bed. I felt excited, no matter how reluctant I may have sounded to Jo.

Two hours later, a remarkably short amount of time for the extensive amount of work, I stood in front of the large bathroom mirror—hair gently layered and curled, cheeks an attractive shade of pink, eyelids a subtle gray color, eyebrows tweezed to perfection, eyes framed in thick, dark lashes, lips stained a seductive shade of red, fingernails and toenails painted white, and my body wrapped in the new blue dress. The thick black belt cinched perfectly at my waist and matched the thin black blazer that hung gently from my shoulders. The only thing that was left untouched were my feet, which I refused to put into the heels until it was absolutely necessary.

"Well? Do you like it?" Jo glanced at me, biting her lower lip, a habit that showed she was unsure.

I stared in the mirror for a few more moments, building suspense. "Like it? I love it! Thank you so much!"

Her lips immediately stretched into a grin. "Good. Now let's go see the city, shall we?"

"Absolu—"

At that moment, all the lights in our room flickered off, then back on again. I glanced at Jo with a puzzled look, and the room went dark again, only to be flooded with light moments later. We waited in silence a few more moments, but nothing else happened.

"Sketchy!" Jo said in a singsong voice.

"Nah, just some sort of power surge or something. It probably happens a lot in a big city like this," I respond in a calm voice. It was nothing to be worried about, and I was not afraid of the dark in any case.

"Well anywho, we need some ice. Would you be a doll and go get some? You know, after all that time and effort I put into getting you ready?" She looked at me with an expression that was half pleading, half joking.

"Sure thing," I said with a smile. I was feeling very energetic and did not need an excuse to go skipping around the hotel.

"Oh Stells, remember that the man at the front desk said ice machines are only on the odd numbered floors, so you'll have to go to floor fifteen or seventeen," she said from her bed, where her head was already resting on the pillow.

I rolled my eyes, pulled on my high-tops, grabbed the ice bucket and the room key, and stepped into the hallway. I pushed the down button on the elevator, and the doors opened almost instantly, revealing a cute blond boy about my age. I stepped into the elevator, pressed the button for floor fifteen, and then did a double take.

I was standing next to Niall Horan of One Direction.


	3. Chapter 3

My heart threatened to beat out of my chest and my breath started coming quicker. As the doors closed, I stepped further into the shaft, facing forward, allowing the normal space between strangers on an elevator.

"Aren't you—" I had just made the decision to talk to him, when the small space turned completely black. I looked in his direction as the lights flickered on, and then the room returned to darkness. In that brief moment, his eyes met mine with a curious look, not surprised, not scared, not annoyed. Just curious.

As the darkness returned, the elevator croaked to a stop. I figured we were somewhere between the fifteenth and sixteenth floors.

I wasn't afraid of the dark or of the enclosed space. I was afraid of Niall's reaction. The first, foolish thought that ran through my mind was that he would think I staged this to be alone with him. Of course he would think that. He must get crazy fan-girl encounters every day. Although faking a power outage seemed a little far-fetched, in my opinion.

My pounding heart drove out all other noises, and I said the stupidest thing I could have possibly come up with: "I didn't plan this."

I felt rather than saw the shock on his face. _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ I cursed myself. _Of course you didn't plan this. That probably isn't even possible._

"I—I mean—I don't know what's happening," I choke out, my voice cracking in all the wrong places.

"It's just a power outage. There was one in my hotel while I was in Berlin. It's really no big deal…unless you're afraid of the dark." I could hear the smile in his voice, his Irish accent curving attractively around the words.

"I'm not afraid of the dark exactly. But how long are we going to be stuck in here?" I asked, slightly intimidated by his company.

"Ah…well it could be a few minutes or a few days," he said in a careless voice. I heard him plop to the floor and sit against the side wall. "We better make ourselves comfortable."

I cautiously sat down against the back wall, extremely aware of his location only a few feet away. I took care not to snag my dress or my hair on the hand railing.

"Oh come on," he said in a playful voice, "do I smell bad or something? Come closer! If we're going to be stuck in here for a while, we might as well get to know each other."

I scooted closer to him, smiling all the while. I moved all the way to the corner, until he was only about twelve inches away. My heart was still racing, but now more with excitement than nerves. "Okay then. This good?"

"Perfect. Now tell me your name, darling," he said with genuine curiosity.

"Stella. And you are?" I said, stretching my hand out for a handshake.

"Niall Horan," he said, not realizing I was trying to grasp his hand. I nudged him gently on the arm.

"But of course, I already knew that. And it's a handshake, by the way," I stated in a friendly voice. He took my hand firmly in his, and then it seemed that he turned to face me head on.

"How did you know that?"

"Oh come on, man. You're a member of what is possibly the biggest boy band of all time. Do you expect not to be recognized?" I said, growing more comfortable with him.

"So you're a fan of the band. Who is your favorite member?" he asked casually.

I couldn't say Harry. Not with Niall sitting here in all his glory. I had to think on my feet. "Oh I don't know. I haven't exactly met the other members, so I guess as of now, you are my favorite," I said with a grin.

"Well thanks love. I'm my favorite too," he tacked on, causing me to giggle. "What brings you to LA?"

"Well…you."

"Oh you're here for the concert?" he asked, excited.

"Yeah! I'm super excited. My best friend Jo and I drove up here this afternoon."

"Where are you guys from?"

"San Diego."

"Oh we were just there last night! It's a beautiful city. Wait, why didn't you go to our concert there?"

At this point, I blushed bright red, afraid to admit to him just how obsessed I was. "Well, you see…today was our graduation…" I stutter, embarrassed.

Obviously, he could not see my unnaturally red cheeks, but I could feel the tension in the small room as my statement sunk in. He finally said, slowly, "You graduated this morning…and then came up here to see us…?"

I waited a bit before responding, trying to put myself in his shoes and discover why this was so shocking for him. I mean, he was an international pop star; of course I came up here hours after my high school graduation. I'm sure he's seen many fan-girls much more obsessed than I was. "Um…yeah…so?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Well, I'm not saying I would change any part of my life on tour, but… I've always wanted to go back after all this is over and get my high school diploma. I'm an eighteen-year-old kid, and all my friends back home are walking the stage in caps and gowns right now. Part of me wants to be one of them, blending in with the crowd. Instead I'm here, performing before millions of pretty girls with adorable accents…" Here he stopped, and I blushed again, a smile stretching across my face, even though he couldn't see. "It's like I skipped the road and just got straight to the destination. I'm sure I skipped some drama and some heartache and some frustration, but I also missed the fun times normal teens have in high school. I guess what I'm getting at is…I want to know what it'd be like to be a normal teen, completing that right of passage. And yet, you're here on your graduation day, to watch me perform. I just never get used to that feeling."

I pondered his words for a few moments, finally catching a glimpse into the fame-consumed life of a pop star. And all he really wanted was to be seen for what he was—a normal teenager. I spoke then, my voice soft, not wanting to offend him: "Well I guess that just goes to show it. We always want what we do not have."

"Yeah, I guess we do. And you know what I don't have right now but I really want? Food," he said, lightening the mood.

I laughed at his abrupt change of topic rather than at his words. I guess he could not stay too serious for long. I liked that. "Umm I would give you some, but all I have is an empty ice bucket."

"Aw man. I was really hoping that was full of candy," he replied, causing me to giggle some more.

"I have an idea!" I said suddenly, struck with inspiration. "Let's play twenty questions!"

There was a second's silence, and then he replied, "Is that an American thing?"

"Well, I don't really know. It's just an icebreaker kind of game. I ask you a question, and then vice versa, until we feel well acquainted. And you're allowed to veto questions if they get too weird."

"Oh yeah, I know this game. Here, I'll go first…um…what is your full name?"

I smiled at his innocent question. "Stella Grace Harris."

"What a beautiful name, Ms. Harris," he said, his accent placing an appealing twist on my otherwise ordinary last name, causing me to shiver. I could not believe I was actually here, playing twenty questions with Niall Horan! Unfortunately, he noticed me shake, and asked, "Are you chilly?" He didn't even wait for a response before he stood up and placed a jacket gently around my shoulders.

I thanked him as he sat down, on my left side this time, closer than before. My heart, which had finally settled to a more normal pace, picked up again, almost as fast as before. "Um…" I had to scramble to think of a question. "Do you like cats?"

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! Of all the things you could have asked Niall Horan, you asked him if he likes cats?!_

Niall chuckled, probably finding me as weird as I did. "Not particularly, no. They are just a little too edgy for me."

"Yeah I agree," I lied, thinking of my black and white kitten Nemo at home while trying to cover up for my awkward question.

"What is your favorite subject?" he asked, although I could hardly believe he cared.

I responded quickly, not wanting to bore him. "Science."

He waited a few moments before responding. "That's all? 'Science?' You're not going to tell me what you're going to major in or where you want to go to school?"

"Well that's not what you asked!" I teased, my voice light. "I am going to Harvard University in the fall, and I'm majoring in pre-med with a minor in biology."

"Whoa. You must be, like, really smart. I'm from a country halfway around the world, and I know of Harvard. Well, congratulations! You must be thrilled!"

I smiled at his praise, very aware of his face, inches from mine. "Thank you! Yeah, I'm pretty excited about school, but I'm nervous about leaving the great west coast weather. I'm not sure how well I'll cope with the cold."

"Oh I'm sure you'll be fine. Ireland winters are brutal, but even I got used to them after a while. Have you always lived in sunny San Diego?"

_Wow, he's good with people. No wonder everybody loves him, he makes it sound like he really cares!_ "No, but I moved there from the east coast when I was really little, so I don't remember much from anywhere else."

"Have you ever been surfing? Liam and Louis went when we were in Australia, but I didn't go because it looks hard." This was the first time he mentioned the other boys in the band. Not that I forgot who I was sitting next to. It was hard to forget when I knew that half the girls in the world would have gladly taken my place.

"Yeah, I go every now and again. It's actually a lot easier than it looks. I can surf fairly well, but I cannot even stand up on a skateboard."

"Oh skateboarding is not too bad either. You just need someone to help you the first couple times so you don't fall over backward."

"Yeah, well, my best friend doesn't know how to skateboard any better than I do. In fact, I'm not even sure she knows what a skateboard is." I stopped here, laughing at the truth of the matter.

Niall turned toward me. I couldn't make out his features, but I could tell from the shifting shadows that he was now looking in my direction. "Tell me about yourself."

Four simple words. Four simple words that seemed to erase everything in my brain. I realized that he was waiting for me to speak, so I came up with some information off the top of my head. "I'd like to think I'm a good student. I love swimming and running, basically just staying active, even though I don't play any competitive sports. Swedish fish are my absolute favorite candy ever. Orange is my favorite color because it makes me think of the sunset. I've been best friends with the same girl, Jo, since our freshman year. I once pierced my own ear, at the top, using a searing hot needle and an apple slice. I love scary movies and roller coasters. I guess you could call me an adrenaline junkie. My favorite smell is cinnamon and I rarely wear makeup, unlike other girls, even though I'm wearing it now."

I took a deep breath following my spiel, and at that very moment, the lights flickered back on. The elevator started moving, and Niall stood up slowly, looking a bit surprised. He offered me his hand, and I took it, standing up carefully to avoid my dress creeping up. He looked me up and down, making me feel extremely self-conscious. The elevator stopped moving, and the doors slid open on the fifteenth floor. I knew it was time for me to get off, but I didn't want to leave him.

He looked me in the eyes and said, "Well, I was on my way to meet the guys for dinner. Would you like to join us?"

The offer was tempting. Boy, was it tempting. But I couldn't ditch Jo. "Well I can't leave Jo here alone. Thanks for the offer though." I half smiled at him, my heart sinking.

"Bring her with! We'll have so much fun!" I thought of Jo, sitting in our room, wearing what she thought was an unacceptable outfit.

"How about you meet us at our room after you eat? We can watch a movie or something?" I offered, crossing my fingers behind my back.

He agreed enthusiastically, having me scribble my cell number on his arm. And just like that, I stepped out of the elevator, his jacket still wrapped around my shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh. My. Goodness. You just met Niall Horan. Oh. Oh. Oh!" It had been twenty minutes since I returned to our suite with a full bucket of ice and a smile stretched across my face, and Jo still hadn't gotten over the fact that I had been stuck in an elevator with an international popstar.

"Yes Jo. Now before you _finally_ wrap your head around it, let me tell you the best part." I paused for dramatic effect, wanting to fully take in her response. "He's coming over tonight."

Jo's jaw literally dropped. I could see every emotion clearly splayed across her face—disbelief, jealousy, excitement, hysteria, joy. She looked at me with a funny expression until she clearly deducted that I wasn't lying. Then came the explosion.

"You've been sitting here for twenty minutes—_twenty minutes!_—and didn't tell me that a member of my _favorite band_ is coming to hang out with us _tonight_?! Are you crazy?! I have to get ready!" she said with annoyance as well as excitement evident in her voice. She stood up immediately, obviously torn between taking a shower and picking out an outfit. Then she did the unthinkable. She asked me—me!—for help getting ready.

"Of course I'll help you hun," I soothed her, sensing the stress in her voice. "Just go take a shower, I'll pick out a nice outfit for you to wear, and then you can do your makeup while I dry your hair."

She scurried off to the bathroom, muttering to herself, while I only caught the words "Stella," "Niall," "onion rings," and "purple mascara." I sniggered when she closed the door, skipping across the room to sift through her suitcase. I found the new dresses she had bought at the mall earlier—had that really only been six hours ago?—but ended up selecting a pair of black skinny jeans and a yellow floral quarter-sleeve top that was baggy on top but tight at the hips. It was cute without looking like we planned it too much. As for myself, I planned to stay in the flirty blue dress and black blazer I had met Niall in; that way, I didn't look like I was too worried about our hangout.

After I tidied up our room—Jo had made quite a mess with a bag of potato chips while I was stuck in the elevator—I realized that Niall had never actually texted me. I would have messaged him, but I didn't have his number. Just as I started to feel hurt, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, seeing a message from an unknown number:

_Hey Stella! I'll be there in about an hour. Is it okay if I bring some of the boys? -Niall_

My heart hammered at the thought of meeting the other boys. Despite my panic, I responded within the minute:

_Absolutely! Can't wait _

By this time, Jo was out of the shower and dressed in the outfit I had chosen. She stared appreciatively in the mirror. "Nice job Stells. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Okay, I know you can stare at yourself all day, and I don't mean to stress you out, but he's going to be here in less than an hour. And he's not coming alone."

She stared daggers at me, as if I had personally done her wrong. "He's not coming alone? Who else is coming?"

"Other members of the band. I'm not sure who. He just asked if he could bring 'some of the boys.'"

"Well than what are we waiting for?!"

Forty-five minutes later, Jo's golden hair was flowing pin-straight down her back and her usual layer of makeup was painted on her face. She also had time to fix my eyeliner where I had smudged it earlier and place some pretty blue barrettes in my hair, where they sparkled mysteriously amid the thick, dark brown.

"Let's just watch TV for a few minutes. Try and calm our nerves," I suggested. Plus, when Niall and the others walked in, it would not look as if we had been hurrying before they arrived.

We walked into the central room of the suite, closing the door to our bedroom behind us. We sat down on the couch and turned on some mindless sitcom, neither of us paying it any attention. I could not keep my mind from straying to Niall, and the fact that he wanted to spend time with _me_.

The next few minutes seemed like several hours. When the clock on my cell phone struck ten o'clock, I knew they would be at our door any second. I took a final look in the mirror, and finding nothing desperately wrong with my appearance, went back to the sofa. My heart hammered louder with every passing second, and my breath was becoming shallower. My fingers started shaking and I couldn't stop the rising panic in my chest. Although she tried to calm me down, Jo didn't look much better.

Then, the doorbell rang. I stood up slowly, and Jo flashed me a panicky look. I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile before turning toward the door. I really wished that Niall had told me who was coming. In what seemed like three steps, I was at the door and couldn't put it off any longer. I twisted the handle and pulled the door without consciously commanding the action.

I stared at the three boys standing in my doorway, and had to remind myself to breathe. I looked into the angelic faces of Zayn Malik and Liam Payne. I moved my eyes to the third figure in the doorway, the face of Niall Horan. As my eyes met his, my heartbeat immediately slowed, and I felt at ease. _Of course this won't be awkward, you survived a power outage in a dark elevator shaft with this boy, didn't you?_ I chastised myself. After realizing this, I was able to pull a smile across my face. "Please, come in!" I said, after perhaps too long of a pause. Once they were all safely inside, I stretched out my hand to Zayn, grasping his hand firmly. "Hello, I'm Stella," I said cheerfully, and then repeated the gesture with Liam. They both introduced themselves as if I didn't know who they were. I looked over to Niall, not quite sure how to greet him, since a handshake was obviously not appropriate. I began to wave and say hi, when he pulled me into a hug. When he released me, I noticed Jo walking toward us from the sofa. "Guys, this is Jo. Jo, this is Niall, Zayn, and Liam."

She walked up to me, rolling her eyes. "Stella, you don't have to pretend that we're not huge fans," she said, earning a few chuckles from the boys and a light blush from me. She shook hands with each of them in turn, stating each of their names before they could, causing even more laughter. Like me, seeing the boys seemed to ease her nerves. After all, they were just average teen boys, and nobody was better with teenage boys than Jo. We moved to the sofas, where I sat next to Jo, with Zayn and Liam across from us. Niall, bringing up the rear, sat next to me without hesitation. Zayn did not think too much of this, but Liam looked back and forth between Niall and I, making me once again very self-conscious.

As Jo made easy conversation with the three boys, I found myself wondering what Niall had told his bandmates. _Hey, I met this girl in a dark elevator shaft today. She said she likes our music, and asked us to go over later tonight._ Sketchy! And I couldn't feel completely at ease while Liam was shooting me looks of accusation.

"Stella? _Stella_!" I heard Jo call. I turned to look at her, snapping out of my thoughts.

"What? Oh, sorry, I spaced out for a minute."

"That's okay hun. I was just telling them about our graduation."

"Oh yeah, it's unbelievable! It feels like we just started high school, but now we're off to college in the fall!" I exclaimed truthfully.

"Well none of us finished high school, but that sounds amazing. You guys must feel so accomplished. Congrats!" Zayn added, his British accent making the words extra sweet.

We passed the rest of the hour talking and bantering about stupid things, and soon we were all well acquainted. We learned that Harry and Louis had mini-golf plans tonight so couldn't make it. Apparently they had a long-lived bet, but it had never been brought to fruition. So the moment they saw a mini-golf course earlier, they pledged to discover the winner before they left Los Angeles. Liam eventually opened up, but I couldn't figure out why he had given me the cold shoulder before.

"We have a favor to ask you," Niall said innocently, looking between Jo and me. "We saw this adorable ice cream parlor earlier, and would love to take you guys. But Harry and Louis left us without a car. Is there any way you could drive us?"

"Of course! Let me just grab my keys," I said, glad for the excuse to stand up. I had been sitting still far too long. I skipped to the bedroom, grabbed my car keys, and retied one of my sneakers. As I turned to go back to the living room, I saw Niall standing in the doorway.

"May I come in?" he asked, glancing across the room with his wide blue eyes.

"Yeah, definitely," I replied, glancing behind him to where Jo was talking animatedly with Zayn and Liam.

He walked toward me and placed his hand gently on my shoulder, then let his hand run softly down my arm until he held my fingers in his. I could definitely feel my heart speeding up at this point. I waited for him to speak, because he obviously had something on his mind.

"Stella, I would love to spend more time with you before we have to leave LA. What do you say to sightseeing tomorrow morning?" He stared into my eyes with his innocent expression and bright blue irises. Did he honestly expect me to say no?

"Of course! I would love to!"

He still looked like he was struggling with words, so I waited patiently, very aware of his fingers gripped around mine. "I'm not sure you understand me," he said quietly, his head turned toward the ground. "What I'm really trying to say is…will you go on a date with me?"


	5. Chapter 5

"This? This is your car?" Zayn asked between fits of laughter as we approached my neon green Kia Soul.

"Haha, very funny," said Jo, as she climbed into the back seat. I knew she didn't need an excuse to sit in close quarters with two fifths of One Direction.

"You may laugh, but I love my little car," I said, theatrically kissing the window. Niall climbed into the passenger seat, while Liam and Zayn followed Jo into the backseat.

I thought about the last few minutes: Niall asking me out, my stuttered "yes," his kiss on my cheek, the stares when we emerged from the bedroom holding hands. I honestly couldn't think of a better day. "Now where exactly is this ice cream parlor?"

Liam gave me directions, and we arrived at the shop about fifteen minutes later. The sign said they closed at midnight, which meant we had approximately forty minutes until we had to leave.

Zayn pulled out his phone, read a message, and then spoke before we exited the car. "Harry and Louis finished early. Louis won. They're going to meet us here for dessert."

The thought of meeting Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson still sent butterflies into my stomach, but after my day with Niall, I no longer had a crazy fan-girl crush on Harry.

We walked into the cutest ice cream shop, complete with flavors handwritten on a blackboard, diner-esque tables, and dozens of available flavors. I ordered a small half coffee half mint chip, Jo ordered a small strawberry, and each of the boys ordered a large sundae. After we claimed a large table in the otherwise deserted restaurant, I walked to the bathroom, towing Jo behind me. As soon as the door swung shut behind me, I screamed, "Niall Horan asked me on a date!" Jo acted the part of the best friend and screamed and jumped around excitedly with me. After an acceptable amount of time passed, I was able to contain myself and we walked back to the table. When we arrived, Harry and Louis were sitting with the other boys. Liam introduced us to them, and then I sat down with Niall on my left, Jo on my right, and Liam on her right.

"Jo," Harry said, causing the two of us to look up. "do you mind me asking what your name is short for?" he asked in his characteristically slow voice.

I snorted, anticipating Jo's answer. "It's short for Jones. My last name." She obviously was not going to offer any more information unless she was asked.

The five boys looked at her curiously but she was suddenly very interested in poking her ice cream with her spoon. I quickly spoke up, wanting to diffuse any awkward situation before it happened. "Her first name is Skylar. Middle name Ingrid, after her grandmother. When she was little, she decided that Skylar was too trendy, and Ingrid was too old. So she called herself Jo, and it kind of stuck." As I finished my story, I had to hold in my laughter. All five boys were staring at Jo in concern, for she was now violently stabbing her strawberry ice cream. Soon, I couldn't control my laughter, and neither could any of the boys.

"But seriously, what parents in their right minds name their daughter Skylar Ingrid?" Jo asked nobody in particular, causing us to laugh even harder.

The next half an hour or so passed similarly, with funny stories and long laughs. We stayed until the owner came and kicked us out. Then we grouped together outside, cupping mugs of hot chocolate we had bought minutes before. I suggested that the boys come watch a movie at our suite, and they agreed. Niall, Zayn, Liam and I piled back into my Soul, while Jo opted to ride with Harry and Louis.

The spot I had previously occupied in the hotel parking lot was taken when we returned, so I parked all the way around the back of the building. When I turned off the car, the boys piled outside, Niall from the front seat and Zayn and Liam from the back seat. I searched the cup holders for my keys, grabbed them, and was about to exit the car, when Liam opened the passenger seat and sat down, closing the door behind him.

"Mind if we have a quick chat?" he asked with a small, apologetic smile on his face. I was vaguely aware of Niall and Zayn walking toward the lobby.

"Sure," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady while my mind was spinning. What could he possibly want to talk to me about?

"I know Niall asked you out." I waited for him to expand, but he didn't add anything.

"Oh," I replied stupidly. I didn't know what else to say.

He looked down at nothing in particular, biting his lower lip, obviously trying to gather his thoughts. "It's just that he's one of my best friends…and if he was to get hurt…"

"Gosh, Liam, you scared me! I thought you were going to tell me that he had a girlfriend or something. My heart is really pounding! I really like N—" I broke off, not sure whether I should tell him every detail of my feelings. I didn't know how much of this would get back to Niall.

Liam's face broke into an undeniable expression of relief at my words, before settling back into an unreadable mask. "All I'm trying to say is…Niall's a little more sensitive than you might think. And if he asked you out, it really means something. He's not one of those guys who will just, like, ask a girl out and then not call her again. He must really want to make this work. So think about the consequences before you give him too much hope."

"Consequences?"

"I'm talking long distances, months without seeing each other, hate from fans, nonstop paparazzi…It can really take its toll. I just don't want you to get into something without knowing what you're signing up for."

I thought over his words carefully. "So you're saying…this may or may not turn into a long-term relationship?"

At this point, he looked me straight in the eyes, making his point quite clear. "What I'm saying is, do not go on this date if you're only in it for the experience."

My heart squeezed uncomfortably as I finally sensed his distrust. The hurt must have flashed across my face because his eyebrows cinched together and he took my hand in his. "No, no, no! I didn't mean to imply anything. It's just…I feel about Niall the way you might feel about a little sibling. The last thing I want is to see him hurt."

I smiled slightly at his protective instinct. I felt that if Liam and I had met under more normal circumstances, assuming he was not a celebrity, we would be great friends. And maybe we still could be. "I understand. But I want you to know that I really like Niall. And not just because he's in One Direction."

"Thanks for understanding. I promised Zayn I would talk to you. We feel very protective of Niall, like he's our little brother."

"Of course. No hard feelings," I said with a smile. "Ready to go?"

"Yes ma'am!" He dashed out the door while I searched again for my keys in the cup holders. Before I knew it, he was opening my door and helping me out. We linked arms and skipped toward the lobby where Niall, Zayn, Harry, Louis, and Jo were waiting for us by the elevators.

Niall looked at me questioningly, but I just mouthed, "I'll tell you later," before dropping Liam's arm and twining my fingers with Niall's. Knowing that he really liked me, and I wasn't just another forgettable fling, made me feel impossibly happy, like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest.

When we arrived at our room, nobody was particularly tired, so we piled into the bedroom to watch a movie on the large flat screen. While they argued over which movie to watch, I searched my duffel for an acceptable pair of pajamas. Having not known I would be spending much time with a potential boyfriend or a certain international pop band, the only sleepwear I had packed consisted of a ratty black t-shirt and a pair of baggy, purple plaid pants. Thankfully, I had packed my neon yellow sports bra, which I took out, along with the pajama pants and a gray tank top. I walked to the bathroom, changed, and then looked in the mirror. I sighed, and then proceeded to roll my pants at the waist until they hung right below my hips, exposing a sliver of skin below my gray top. I gathered my still curly hair into a high ponytail, removing the blue barrettes as I carefully selected strands of hair to gently hang loose from the up do.

I scrubbed my teeth furiously with my toothbrush, violently eradicating any lingering coffee breath from the ice cream. I misted some perfume lightly across my exposed collarbone before taking one last look in the mirror. I had decided to leave my makeup on, at least until they boys left. I had never looked this pretty before sleeping. I smiled slightly at my reflection before reentering the room.

They had apparently already staked out spots for the movie viewing. Jo and Louis had lain down a few feet apart on the bed closest to the window, while Harry and Liam were stretched out on an improvised bed of blankets on the floor. On the bed closest to me, Zayn was on the left with Niall on the right. The latter saw me exit the bathroom and quickly scooted over, making room. The bed was big enough that it would fit all three of us comfortably.

Jo looked over at me, appraising my improvised outfit. "Ooh Stella, where did you find sexy PJs on short notice?" The boys laughed, and I flushed dark red, smiling and shaking my head. I stuffed the clothes that I had been wearing earlier into my bag before sitting gingerly on the bed. Leaving a few inches between Niall and myself, I stretched out on top of the comforter, my hands beneath my head, propping it up.

I tried to get into the movie, but it really wasn't that good. I looked at the clock after about an hour and saw that it read one fifty-two. I scanned the room and realized that the boring movie had put everyone to sleep except Liam and myself.

Exhaustion settled in rather quickly, and I successfully climbed under the covers without waking Zayn or Niall. Obeying some crazy urge of mine, I slid closer to Niall, snuggling up to him. He slowly stirred under my touch, and from beneath my eyelashes I saw him smile. It took all my willpower to pretend I was asleep and keep from smiling back. He pulled his arm out from under his head and stretched it around my left shoulder, resting his hand on my waist.

I heard Liam stand up from his spot on the floor and gently shake the boys awake, remaining quiet to let Jo and I sleep. I heard Harry, Louis, and Zayn stand up slowly before filing out of the door. I didn't hear the front door open, so I assumed they were waiting for Liam and Niall in the front room.

"Niall, wake up," Liam said sweetly, patting Niall's shoulder. I pretended to wake up at the movement, sitting up slowly and blinking a few times for dramatic effect.

"What…?" I asked stupidly. Liam looked at me, taking in my truly exhausted appearance. He glanced down at Niall, who was still dressed in his red polo and khakis. The boy was obviously not going to get up anytime soon.

"I guess I'll just leave him here for the night. Tell him to check his phone in the morning. Sweet dreams Stella," he said with a cute smile, before turning and leaving with the other boys. I snuggled back into Niall, glad he was staying for the night.

It took a while to slow my heart down, but eventually I fell asleep like that, with my hand on his chest and his arm around me.


	6. Chapter 6

"C'mon man, you'll be back in an hour." I heard the voice, but the words didn't process in my tired state.

I heard a deep sigh from somewhere close to me. Niall. "I know, I know." A set of arms from the other side of the bed carefully lifted me up from where I had been sprawled across Niall's chest. My eyelids fluttered open and saw Liam's smiling face before me as he gently placed me back on the bed.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, my eyes snapped shut again, still weighed down heavily with sleep. I continued to hear voices, but my brain refused to distinguish individual words. I rolled over and fell back to sleep.

When I woke up, I could sense that some time had passed. I sat up slowly, noticing a piece of paper next to me. I unfolded it, reading the words there:

_Stella~ The boys and I have gone to a quick signing down the street. It shouldn't take long, we'll be done by ten. Text me when you wake up so I know when to pick you up. See you soon, beautiful. ~Niall_

I smiled at the sweet note—giggling especially at the hearts and wink faces drawn in a different hand, probably Louis's—before glancing at the clock. It was nine thirty. If the signing was to be over at ten, the earliest he could be back would be ten thirty. I picked up my phone and typed out a quick text:

_Hey Niall! I'm finally awake. You can pick me up whenever, it really doesn't matter to me. Where are we going?_

I got an answer within the minute:

_Perfect timing! Does ten thirty work for you? And I can't tell you where we're going, that would ruin the surprise!_

I wrote back quickly, having anticipated his answer:

_Ten thirty sounds great. Can you at least tell me what I should be wearing?_

I stared at my phone until his response arrived.

_Wear a swimsuit and some cool clothes, I heard it's going to be hot today. Bring comfortable shoes._

I smiled at the thought of being outside. I had been hoping we wouldn't be staying indoors on a beautiful day like this. Plus, if he was willing to be out in the open with me, maybe Liam was right, and this wasn't a one-day thing…

I looked over at Jo, still sleeping soundly, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. As peaceful as she looked, I knew I had to interrupt her beauty sleep. I went over and gently shook her arm, telling her to wake up. She opened her eyes slowly as if she was in the middle of a good dream. "Wake up sleepy head," I said quietly. "Niall's going to be here in an hour and I need your help to get ready!"

She sat up slowly, stretching. "Okay. Okay. Go take a shower and I'll be—I'll be—" She stopped here to yawn loudly. "—I'll be functional when you're out."

I skipped off to the bathroom, trying hard not to think about where Niall would be taking me, what we would be doing, and what we would talk about. I showered quickly, scrubbing all the products out of my hair and the makeup off my face. The warm water felt comforting against my tensed shoulders, and I found it hard to turn off the faucet. Once I was wrapped up in a towel, I went back to the bedroom, where Jo had laid an outfit for me on the bed.

"What the hell? There is not a chance I am wearing that," I said in disgust, pointing to the outfit she had designated for me.

"Why not?" she complained loudly. "It's so pretty!"

"Oh let me think… One, those aren't even my clothes. Two, we're going somewhere outside, not to a nightclub. And three, it's extremely trashy!"

I picked up the black silk corset and the tiny red denim shorts. "Really? Does this look remotely close to anything I would wear?" I said, almost laughing at the situation.

She smiled. "I guess not," she said in a voice that sent us both into hysterics. When we recovered from our laughing fits, she said, "Go start your hair, I'll pick out a new outfit then come do your makeup."

I reentered the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and dried my hair. By the time I was done, the time on my phone read ten fifteen. "Crap." I ran back to the bedroom and threw on my white bikini, carefully double knotting the strings so it wouldn't come loose. I approved of Jo's second outfit, gave her a thumbs up, and quickly dressed in the denim shorts and lime green halter top. I sprinted back to the bathroom, and, deciding I didn't have enough time to curl my hair, just straightened it. As I was turning off the flat iron, the doorbell rang.

I turned to Jo, who was perched on the edge of the counter, and thought on my feet. "Please go get the door and tell him I'll be ready in five." She skipped out of the room, leaving me alone and stressed out. I concluded that my hair was impeccably straight, but nonetheless a little boring. So I braided a strand of hair on either side of my face and pinned them together at the back of my head, creating a crown of sorts. I dabbed some powder on my face, applied a thin layer of mascara, grabbed my purple bag from the counter, shoved a towel, my wallet, and my phone inside, and stepped into my Rainbows. I took a deep breath to collect myself, then opened the door and stepped into the living room where Niall was seated on the sofa. He stood up when I walked in and looked me up and down, making me feel very self-conscious. I blushed a light shade of pink when he looked me in the eyes.

"You're beautiful." My heart pounded in my chest. I absolutely adored the way he said _you're beautiful_ instead of _you look beautiful_. It might not sound so different, but it was a big deal to me. It said that he wasn't looking at my clothes, or my hair, or my makeup. He was looking at _me_.

"Thank you," I replied sincerely. "You look great yourself." He was wearing a perfectly fitted light blue t-shirt with white and gray striped board shorts. I looked down at his feet and smiled. "Look, we match!" I exclaimed, referring to our matching pairs of brown Rainbows.

He looked at me and smiled. "I guess that's a sign then. It's going to be a great day." He closed the gap between us, lacing his fingers with mine, and then pulled me toward the door.

"Ahem!" Jo's voice chimed from across the room. I had completely forgotten she was sitting there. "Forgetting someone?"

I wheeled around to see her and Liam sitting on the sofa in the corner, which was not visible from where I had been standing. "Liam?" I asked, confused.

"The boys and I decided to kidnap Jo for the day, considering you're ditching her for Niall," he replied in a mock fatherly tone.

"Jo!" I chastised. "I'm not ditching you! I just—I'm—"

She stood up and grinned at me. "No worries Stells." She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, enclosing me in a hug. "Trust me, I'm not complaining," she whispered in a voice only I could hear. I giggled again as she pulled back, and she winked at me. "Have fun, you lovebirds."

I smiled at her, waved at Liam, and then followed Niall as he left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

We walked across the hall, our entwined hands swinging between us as though we were an old married couple. I pushed the down button on the elevator, remembering that this was the very spot I first saw Niall. I wanted to tell him this, but it seemed too sappy. "Stupid elevator," I muttered instead. He laughed lightly, squeezing my fingers.

"So _now_ are you going to tell me where we're going?" I inquired in my best flirty voice, looking up at him through my eyelashes. He stared into my eyes for a few moments, and I could see him struggling to compose his thoughts.

"Erm…what?" he finally asked, shaking his head and focusing on my question. "Oh, yes. We're going to the beach."

I smiled ear to ear, my eyes crinkling in the corners. "I absolutely love the beach. It's my favorite place on the planet!"

He smiled at me again, obviously glad that I approved of the venue. "We have to make one quick stop first, is that alright?"

"Of course," I replied automatically, unconcerned.

We exited the front doors of the hotel, only to see hordes of paparazzi and innumerable camera flashes. Niall sidestepped in front of me so the reporters couldn't see our faces. "You go left, I'll go right. Meet me at the black Mercedes Harry was driving last night. Hurry, they will follow." He squeezed my hand and sprinted to the right. Following his lead, I pushed through the crowd and ran as fast as I could to the back of the parking lot. I saw the car in the right corner, and realized what Niall had done. He had purposely given me the shorter distance to run, but whether his reasoning was to give me more time or to mislead the paparazzi following him, I didn't know. Fortunately, Niall seemed to be a fast runner, so he rounded the corner just as I reached the car. His hand was stretched in front of him, gripping his car keys, and he unlocked the doors. I climbed inside the passenger seat, leaving the door open, and quickly jumped the divider into the driver's seat. I stretched my hand out the driver side window and pointed frantically to the passenger side, hoping he would get the message. I looked out the rearview, seeing that the photographers who had been following me stopped a ways back, but they were as hot on Niall's heels as ever. When he reached the car, he literally jumped into the passenger side, threw me the keys, and slammed the door shut, barely missing the fingers of a reporter. I started the car and revved the engine in warning before quickly reversing out of the spot and speeding down the hotel driveway. I drove a couple blocks before the crazy reporters and fans were completely out of sight.

"I'm so sorry about that," Niall said, his eyebrows pinching together and his blue eyes open wide. "I didn't know they'd be there. I wanted this day to be perfect and they just…"

"What are you talking about?" I looked over at him, an insane giggle bursting through my lips. "That was so fun! I feel like we were just in an action movie or something. And I was the hot girl in the getaway car!" At this point I succumbed to a fit of laughter.

I pulled up to a red light and looked him in the eyes. "You're going to have to try a little harder to scare me off, Mr. Horan," I tacked on confidently. He didn't respond, but leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. I grabbed his hand with one of mine, feeling fairly certain that I only needed one to drive.

"Turn here." We had stopped to buy lunch to-go at a cute little café, Niall ordering enough food for about seven people. After, I drove us about forty-five minutes north along a curvy highway with a spectacular view of the Pacific. The clock struck noon just as we pulled in to the beach Niall had directed me to. I immediately realized why we drove such a long way when there were miles of coastline much closer. This beach was about three hundred yards in length, walled in completely by two adjoining cliff faces, and therefore extremely private, and was utterly deserted, despite its perfection.

"Whoa," I whispered, glancing down at the beach from our stance at the cliff top. "This is amazing."

We ate lunch on the sand, talking and laughing all the while. After about an hour, we decided to go swimming. When we had both stripped down to our swimsuits, he picked me up in his arms and walked forward until he was waist deep. He abruptly dropped me into the water, soaking me from head to toe. I stood up laughing and splashing him, and soon it turned into a full-fledged water fight. After about forty minutes in the ocean, we swam back to shore and laid down together on his oversized towel.

"This really has been the perfect day," I remarked after a couple minutes' silence. I stretched out on my back, placing one hand under my head and using the other to hold Niall's.

"Yeah, I had a lot of fun today," he responded, "but I wouldn't say it's been perfect." My heart dropped. What had I done wrong? _Why did you let yourself fall for him so quickly? Of course he doesn't care as much as you do, he's an international sensation. He could have any girl in the world, why would he pick you? _I cursed myself for putting my heart on the line, already feeling it pulse painfully in my chest.

He looked over at me, seeing the poorly concealed hurt on my face, and quickly backtracked. "It's not perfect yet, but we can add the finishing touches." He grinned devilishly at me before jumping to his feet. He helped me up by our still interlocked fingers and pulled me gently closer to him. His other hand wrapped tenderly around my waist, and before I realized what was happening, his lips were pressed warmly against mine. I closed my eyes, fully taking in the moment. _Niall Horan is kissing me. _At that moment, he wasn't a famous singer, I wasn't a Harvard freshman, we weren't worried about deadlines or paparazzi. At least for that moment, he was mine. The moment was incredibly sweet and indefinably _ours_. When he finally pulled away, all I wanted was to be close to him again. I wrapped my arms around his waist and felt his hug my shoulders. We stood there for a while, just enjoying the comfort of one another's embrace. I loosened my arms from around him and gently kissed him again, this one lasting a little longer.

I sighed as I pulled away, looking into those beautiful blue eyes before blushing and turning away. I took my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. "Three o'clock. Doesn't somebody have a sound check at five?" I asked in a quiet voice, which nonetheless seemed out of place in the moment. He sighed, removing his arms from my waist, leaving me craving his touch.

"C'mon then," he said, offering me his hand. His tone matched my mood perfectly: bittersweet. I was sad that we had to leave, but I knew that we would have many more fun times to come. This date cemented the idea that Liam had planted in my head. The thought lifted my spirits and gave me a reason to leave our little safe haven. Our time together wouldn't end here.


	8. Chapter 8

When we arrived at the hotel, I offered to drop Niall off at the front doors to avoid any more paparazzi encounters. He agreed sheepishly, apparently embarrassed to ask me to park the car. He climbed out of the driver's side and I slid over into his seat, opening the window. He kissed me lightly before walking inside. I parked the car around the back of the lot and met him in the lobby, in front of the elevator. Once we were alone inside, he turned and pushed me lightly against the side wall, kissing my lips over and over again until we arrived at the sixteenth floor. When the doors started to slide open, he pressed the close door button, keeping his lips on mine the whole time. After about five minutes of intense making out, his finger slipped and the doors opened, revealing Jo, Liam, Louis, Harry, and Zayn. They stared at us, obviously surprised at the way my arms were wrapped tightly around Niall's neck and his fingers were clenched in my hair. We quickly broke apart, blushing, while Louis shouted, "Get a room!" and Harry wolf-whistled.

"We had a room until you guys showed up," Niall mumbled, earning a few laughs, while I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. He turned to me, grabbing my hand. "I'm going to go change for the sound check, can I stop by your room in a few minutes?" I told him of course he could, before I exited the elevator, avoiding eye contact with the boys and winking at Jo. She followed me into our room while the boys went upstairs with Niall.

As soon as the door closed behind us, Jo screamed, "Tell me every single detail right this instant missy!"

I immediately launched into the story, exaggerating the cute parts just for her enjoyment. By the time I finished, Jo was nearly crying at the adorableness of the whole situation. I laughed at her, giddy with adrenaline and emotion. I asked her what she and the boys did all day, and received an earful of chatter. Apparently they hung out at the hotel pool all morning, then the boys treated Jo to lunch in Hollywood, before taking a hike up a small mountain.

"…and of course, all we could talk about all day long was you and Niall. The boys knew his plan for the date, but we didn't know how well he would execute it. They suggested the beach you described, but weren't sure if he would actually take you there because it's so far away. Good thing he did though, otherwise you would have been attacked by paparazzi! We were wondering whether he would kiss you on the first date, because apparently he's usually very shy, but obviously, he really went for it! You guys were totally sucking face on that elevator, I was so not expecting that! Anyway, they kept saying that Niall must really like you, otherwise he wouldn't have asked you out. He's never asked a girl out while on tour because he thinks long-distance relationships are hard to maintain. But girl, if he took you out anyway, he must be head over heels!..."

I zoned out about three minutes into her ramble, thinking about how well the day had gone. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the doorbell rang. Jo went and answered it, while I opened a bottle of iced tea from the fridge. Liam appeared behind me, arms outstretched, asking for a hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist and squeezed gently, feeling as if he was the older brother I never had. "How'd the date go?" he asked in a whisper.

"It was absolutely perfect," I responded with a smile. I didn't feel the need to expand, because I was sure the boys had already gotten every detail out of Niall.

"Brilliant," he replied, his face breaking into a grin. "Now we have a surprise for you ladies," he said, now addressing both Jo and me. "If you would please step into the living room?"

We followed instructions and sat side by side on the sofa. All five boys stood in a line in front of us, dressed in comfortable looking sweatpants and t-shirts. "Close your eyes and put out your hands," Louis requested.

We did as we were told, and I felt a few small sheets of paper land in my palm. I opened my eyes and stared at the tiny print. It took a minute for the words to process, but when they did, I screamed out loud. "Front row tickets to tonight's concert?! Thank you guys so much!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down with Jo, randomly hugging the guys in front of us.

"That's not all, Stella," Liam chastised in a mock game-show host voice. "If you look at the other sheet—"

"Backstage passes!" Jo shrieked. We thanked the boys repeatedly, freaking out over our major seat upgrade. Yesterday's excitement over the concert returned, five times stronger. Even though we now knew the boys, it was still going to be a blast rocking out to our favorite band and sitting together in the front row.

The boys continued to laugh at our reactions, but we didn't care. We were going to a One Direction show.


	9. Chapter 9

At seven o'clock, Jo and I stood in the bathroom. We had both showered, curled our hair, and applied makeup since the boys had left a few hours earlier, and were completely dressed and ready to go. I wore a short, white, lace dress that fell several inches above my knees, paired with gray combat boots and a brown leather jacket. She wore a pair of black leggings and a sexy red beaded tank top with a jean jacket and silver gladiators. We arrived at the Staples Center shortly after, around seven fifteen, and parked in the VIP section, smiling when we flashed our backstage passes to the security guards. We walked in the arena, having to show our tickets to many employees before they finally let us into the front row. By the time we were finally seated, it was already seven forty five, and Olly Murs, the boys' opening act, was set to perform in fifteen minutes.

Jo and I were in the middle of an intense game of would you rather when the lights dimmed and the thousands of girls in the crowd screamed at the top of their lungs. Olly Murs performed for about forty minutes, getting the crowd pumped up, the girls' voices already breaking from singing along with him. When he exited the stage, the crowd waited with bated breath for One Direction.

Unfortunately, the lights came back on and the background music started again, meaning the boys wouldn't be out for a little while. Jo and I entertained ourselves by trying to guess which song they would open with; I said Na Na Na while she bet on Stand Up.

When the lights dimmed again, I thought I my eardrums had broken. The noise was surely enough to break open my skull. Every single girl in the stadium was screaming at the top of her lungs, creating a cacophony at least ten times the volume of Olly Murs's applause. A short video of the boys appeared on the screen, and before long, they were all on stage, wearing superhero capes and belting Stand Up. I frowned at Jo, handed her a five dollar bill, before singing along with the boys and the crowd.


	10. Chapter 10

I couldn't keep my gaze off Niall the entire night. Every time I looked at another one of the boys, my eyes seemed to snap back automatically toward him. Not that I was complaining.

All five boys kept glancing at Jo and me intermittently throughout the concert, Zayn and Louis especially, winking and blowing kisses. The girls sitting next to me swore the two boys were flirting with them, and I giggled at them inside my head. Oh well, at least they'll have a story to tell later. Maybe even some pictures to "prove" it.

About halfway through the show, the boys were singing More Than This on a sofa in the middle of the stage. When they finished that song, they all turned to look at Niall. There was a couple moments' silence, first filled with applause and cheers, then with confused whispers and questions. Niall smiled sheepishly at the boys before picking up his microphone and saying, "Do you guys want to help me with something?" The crowd interrupted in screams and cheers. My heart hammered—this was his first monologue of the concert, and even his voice made my knees weak.

"You see, there's a very special girl in the audience tonight," he continued, "and I'd like to pull her up onstage, if that's okay with you." Some of the girls in the audience looked confused, but most screamed, obviously thinking he was going to take a fan onstage.

My heart had already been racing, but when I realized he was talking about me, it felt like the blades of a helicopter were beating against my ribcage. Niall knelt down at the edge of the stage, said something to a security guard and pointed at me. "The one in the white dress," I heard him say. He stood back up and winked at me before joining the other guys back at the center of the stage.

The security guard helped me climb over the low guardrail and escorted me to a hidden set of stairs at the side of the stage. I walked up the steps carefully, watching my feet to make sure I didn't trip. _Three more, two more, one more_, I told myself slowly, counting smoothly in my head. When I stepped onto the stage I looked up and found myself staring into the big blue eyes of Niall Horan.

He entwined his hand with mine and whispered in my ear. "I hope this is okay. I really wanted to continue our perfect date." I smiled and squeezed his hand.

"You really know how to make a girl feel special," I said, flashing my teeth again. He swiftly kissed my cheek, earning loud cheers from the audience, and pulled me toward the others.

He sat down on the sofa that was still placed in the middle of the stage, and, considering that our hands were still connected, I fell on top of him rather clumsily. My cheeks flushed red and I tried to pull away, but his arms wrapped around my waist, holding me to him. "Very graceful Stells," he commented with a chuckle. I playfully smacked his arm, but he just kissed my cheek again.

I looked into the crowd and was surprised to find that I couldn't see anyone at all. Where I knew there was a wall of screaming girls, I could only see bright lights and camera flashes. I could still hear them, but the noise was rather muted from the stage, and I couldn't separate individual words like I could from my seat. I looked to my left and saw Harry strutting toward center stage, microphone in hand.

"This is Stella, and as you can tell, she's a rather good… friend…of Niall's," he said, to the laughter of the other four guys. "He begged and begged us to let him sing her a song, and, being the awesome bandmates that we are, we agreed." Here, Niall rolled his eyes. "So Niall is singing this song to his beautiful girlfriend over there, isn't that sweet?!" I heard cheers and screams as the music started playing.

_Girl I see it in your eyes you're disappointed, cuz I'm the foolish one that you anointed with your heart, I tore it apart. _Liam's voice resonated across the entire stadium, accompanied by thousands of others. Niall swayed us gently back and forth to the music, mouthing the lyrics silently. _And girl what a mess I made upon your innocence, no woman in the world deserves this, but here I am asking you for one more chance._

_Can we fall one more time, stop the tape and rewind, oh and if you walk away I know I'll fade cuz there is nobody else._ Niall stood up, and offered me his hand. I took it and watched as he placed his microphone on the sofa and flicked a switch on the one attached to the side of his face.

He led me around the side of the sofa to an open space of about ten feet, before wrapping both his arms gently around my waist. I placed my arms around his neck, playing with the curls there. I stood on my tiptoes, feeling short even though he was only five foot seven. This time, Niall sang along with the other four boys. _It's gotta be you, only you, it's got to be you, oh only you…_

I felt rather than saw him lean in to kiss me. I angled my face so his lips could meet mine and felt fireworks for the umpteenth time that day. I leaned into him, wanting to deepen the kiss, but knowing that that was hardly appropriate for our location. I instead pulled away after a few seconds, keeping my hands around his neck and my forehead pressed against his. I smiled as the other four boys finished the song, Niall and I singing along with the chorus. The moment was so perfect and right that I could not help the tears that pricked at the corners of my eyes. I tried to hold them back, but the emotion of the moment caused a single tear to stream down each cheek, flowing over my still smiling lips. Niall quickly wiped them away with his thumb, kissing my forehead in the process.

"We have a very special song up next for you all!" Louis shouted over the cheers of the crowd. I was still staring into Niall's beautiful eyes, but in my peripheral vision I saw something red flash at the end of the stage. I turned toward the color defensively, not feeling completely comfortable with my somewhat blinding surroundings, and was surprised to see Harry pulling Jo up the stairs. She looked at me through wide eyes, smiling through the shock. Without further introduction, the beginning to One Thing started playing, and Jo and I freaked out.

_I've tried playing it cool, but when I'm looking at you, I can't ever be brave cuz you make my heart race._ Liam walked over to where Jo and I stood dancing at the side of the stage and twirled us each around while he sang.

_Shot me out of the sky, you're my kryptonite, you keep making me weak, yeah frozen and can't breathe._ Harry followed Liam's example, coming to dance with us when it was his turn to sing. When he turned around, Jo and I glanced at each other, hardly believing this was possible, our minds racing and our hearts pounding and our lips singing along to the lyrics.

Niall, playing along with the other guys, came to dance with us during his solo in the second verse. After that, all seven of us danced together wildly to the music, Jo and I having the time of our lives. When the song ended, Niall said, "Give it up for Stella and Jo!" The crowd cheered as he led the two of us backstage.

"We have about an hour left, but I think things might get a little crazy if you go back out there. I hope you don't mind waiting out the show back here?" He looked at Jo and me through worried eyes, as though he had done us a disfavor and was concerned about our reactions.

"Mind? This is the coolest thing ever!" Jo exclaimed. "I've always wanted to see what it's like back here."

Niall flashed us a smile, obviously relieved at our reactions. My face had made it clear that I agreed with Jo wholeheartedly. He hugged Jo and kissed me quickly but gently before jogging back onstage.

I held Jo's hand and couldn't keep the smile from my face. "You know, how did you get to be the luckiest girl in the world?" she asked rhetorically, grinning from ear to ear. I didn't respond, but internally agreed with her—I truly was the luckiest girl in the world.


	11. Chapter 11

Jo and I watched the rest of the concert from the sidelines, enjoying it just as much as we had from our seats. After the encore, the boys joined us backstage, and we hung out in the green room. We agreed to meet up at their suite in a couple hours, so Jo and I snuck out to my car, disguised in two of Harry's oversized sweatshirts so as not to attract attention to ourselves.

Once we were safely in our hotel room, I sat down on the sofa while Jo went to fix her hair. When she reentered the room, still wearing a huge smile, tears were streaming continuously down my face and I sniffled quietly, not wanting to break down completely. Her face immediately changed to an expression of concern. "Stells, what's wrong?"

"I just—I—don't—don't—want him to—leave—" I lamented quietly, finally letting my emotions sink in all the way. I succeeded in keeping the sob out of my throat but my shoulders and chest heaved uncomfortably. I breathed slowly in and out, calming myself, but the tears continued to flow. I had finally admitted to myself that Jo and I were leaving in the morning, and I probably wouldn't see Niall again for a long time. The very thought sent a fresh wave of tears down my face.

Jo sat down next to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. We stayed like that for a while, and I took comfort in her embrace. About thirty minutes later, someone knocked loudly on the door, and we heard Louis shout from the other side, "Let us in! We've got pizza!" By this time I was horizontal on the sofa with my head in Jo's lap while she was combing through my hair with her fingers.

"It's open!" Jo yelled in the general direction of the door, and I stood up quickly, making myself dizzy. I put a hand to my head and walked unsteadily toward the bedroom. I closed the door rather loudly behind me, seeing the boys looking at me out of the corner of my eye. I went to the bathroom, hoping to compose myself, but seeing my tear-streaked face in the mirror only brought on another crying fit. I fell on the bed, hugging myself and willing myself to calm down so I could go hang out with everyone.

_Get a grip!_ I mentally yelled at myself. _Don't sit here crying while your best friend and boyfriend are sitting out there!_ I hopped rather unsteadily out of the bed and went to the bathroom, where I washed my face of all the makeup and salt water. By the time I was done, my puffy eyes were the only signs of my meltdown.

About five minutes after the boys arrived, I reentered the room with an only-somewhat fake smile plastered on my face. Jo and the boys were huddled on the two sofas, hunched over and talking in low voices. When they saw me enter the room, they immediately sat up straight and the room was filled with an awkward silence.

"Hello love! Do you want to go…?" Niall asked me, trailing off at the end and gesturing toward the door.

I smiled at the way he somehow knew I needed to get out of the room. I nodded but held up one finger, implying that I wanted to say something first. "I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything tonight. All of you. Jo and I had so much fun—no, seriously!" I inserted, as Louis and Liam rolled their eyes. "It really meant a lot. So thank you."

"No problem, loves. It was our pleasure," Louis said kindly, with his characteristic grin. I smiled at him before I went to sit on Niall's lap. I felt his arms wrap around my waist instinctively, but something felt off. It took me a moment to realize that everyone was staring at me.

"Um…did I walk in on something?" They way they were all sending me shifty glances definitely made me uncomfortable.

"Well Jo was just telling us—" Louis began, but swiftly cut off when Jo sent him a death glare. _Had Jo told them that I had been crying?_ It certainly seemed so. I didn't want to blow up the situation, but I made a mental note to grill Jo about it later.

"Uh, okay then. I can just go…?" I made to untangle myself from Niall, but he just gripped me tighter.

"I'll go with you," he said, loud enough for the whole room to hear. He shot Louis a nasty glance as we stood up and walked toward the door.

We sat in my car for a while, just talking, before we decided to go back to the beach. Not the same beach from earlier, but a nice stretch of shore only about ten minutes from the hotel. I spread out a blanket from my car on the sand and we laid there and talked for about an hour or two. We talked about the concert, about my high school, about the X Factor, about the other boys and Jo, anything but our ever-approaching deadline. After a while, I had forgotten what I had been crying about in the first place.

At about one in the morning, we stripped down into our underwear and went swimming in the deserted water. By the time we returned to the hotel, we were both soaked and shivering, huddled together under the oversized blanket and wearing nothing but sweatshirts and underwear.

Thinking Jo and the boys would still be in our room, we headed to the boys' room to get some clothes for Niall before we went to find the others. However, when we opened the door to their penthouse suite, the five of them were cuddled together on the sofa, watching a movie on the big screen. They all stared at us with eyebrows raised, taking in our strange appearances.

"We went swimming, but didn't think to bring a change of clothes," Niall said in response to their questioning looks.

"Aw man, I want to go swimming! Why don't we go down to the hotel pool?!" Zayn asked excitedly, looking around at everyone. "It's not fair that you get to keep Stella to yourself all night," he said, addressing Niall.

We all agreed that a late night swim would be fun, so we met down at the pool, Niall and I wearing swimsuits this time. The gates were locked, so we had a laugh climbing over them into the now unlit pool. The dark water was a little creepy, but nonetheless, we all swam the length of the pool several times, being loud and obnoxious. When we finally settled down together in the shallow end, I ended up talking with Liam and Louis.

"So what were you guys talking about earlier?" I asked the pair of them.

"When?" Louis asked with a slightly too innocent expression.

"Oh you know what I'm talking about!"

"We seriously weren't talking about anything of importance," Liam responded.

"If it wasn't important, then why can't you tell me?"

"We can't tell you…because we can't! So there!" Louis grinned at me, almost mocking my anger.

I stuck my tongue out at him and turned to Liam. "I thought we were friends!" I complained jokingly, batting my eyelashes at him.

"We are friends, doll. But we can't tell you because it's a surprise. Just leave it at that." He proceeded to dunk me underwater, successfully changing the subject by starting a water fight.

It was about three o'clock when we decided to head back up to the rooms. Niall stretched his arm around my shoulder and I wrapped mine around his waist. "Do you want to stay in my room tonight?" he asked me quietly. I nodded, not wanting him out of my sight.


	12. Chapter 12

I went to my room, showered, pulled on Jo's cute pink sweatpants and a tank top, brushed my teeth and hair, and went to find my best friend. I found her on the phone in the living room, a smile stretched widely across her face. "Yes definitely. No, of course not. Don't worry, I'll take care of it!" she said into the phone. She then realized I was standing in the doorway. "Oh whoops, I have to go, I'll talk to you later!" She hung up and walked over to me.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"Umm…it was Tibby. You know that girl in my math class? She just wanted me to send her some of my photos from graduation…for a…um…for a video she's making." She said rather disjointedly. I realized Jo was probably very tired, and therefore becoming increasingly incoherent. At least, that was the only plausible explanation for her shifty behavior.

"Listen, Jo. I think I'm going to…" I didn't know how to tell her that I was going to spend the night with my boyfriend. Not that Niall and I were going to do anything, but I didn't want Jo to get the wrong idea. My cheeks started to turn pink at her potential reactions. "Niall asked me…well I think I might…"

"Spit it out Stells, it's three thirty and I'm exhausted!"

"I'm going to spend the night with Niall," I said rather quickly, ripping off the band-aid. I watched her face carefully while she pondered the words. At first, she just looked at me with a confused expression, but then she burst into laughter.

"You were afraid to tell me that you want to stay with your extremely attractive and foreign boyfriend, who just so happens to be in the world's most famous boy band, on his last night in the city? I totally understand Stella, no worries. I don't judge," she said with a wink before turning and walking to the bedroom. "Goodnight! Have fun with Niall!" she yelled in a singsong voice from the other room.

I rolled my eyes. "Goodnight!"

I texted Niall as I stepped off the elevator into the long hallway. _Hey, I'm outside. I didn't know if I should ring the doorbell, in case the others are sleeping…?_

The door opened after a few moments to reveal Niall standing there in a red hoodie and a pair of gray sweats. "Thanks for not ringing the doorbell. Not that it's bad to have you here, we'd just never get any privacy if they found out," he whispered, rolling his eyes and taking my hand. We shut the door silently behind us and Niall led me to his bedroom, the third door on the left. The inside of the room was simple but very nice. I sat down on the edge of the huge bed, looking out the window at downtown Los Angeles, its twinkling lights seeming to wink at me.

Niall stood before me, interrupting my thoughts of the city, and smiled down at me. He scooped me up easily in his arms and kissed me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him back. Before long, we fell backward onto the bed, giggling all the while. He continued to kiss me, my lips, my jaw, my neck, causing my heart to pound and my breath to shorten. After a while, we had to surface for air. We scooted up to the pillows, lying down side by side, with my head on his chest.

We lied there in blissful, sleepy silence. He had one of his hands on my back and the other was playing with my hair. When he must have thought I was asleep, he started singing to me. _I could stay awake just to hear you breathing, watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming, I could spend my life in this sweet surrender, I could stay lost in this moment forever…_

"Stella…Stella honey..." A gently hand rubbed my arm, obviously trying to wake me. My eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep. I looked into Niall's blue eyes, and I remembered that I had stayed in his suite last night. "Jo's here, babe, she said you need to check out now?"

"Oh." I was flooded with sadness. Today was the day. The last day I would see Niall until…until I don't even know when. "Okay."

I got up carefully, hiding my face from Niall as I was sure it would show my despair. "I'll just...check out with her, where should I meet you?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and rolling my shoulders.

"Come back here, will you hun?"

"Of course." I leaned in and kissed him, but avoided his eyes, sure I was going to break down if I saw them. "I'll be right back."

Once I was wearing my usual leggings and crop top, Jo and I checked out at the front desk and put our luggage in my car. Then we headed back up to the penthouse, hoping that our goodbye wouldn't be too drawn out.

Liam opened the door after I knocked and gave us each a big hug as we walked through the door. I could see that all the boys were already packed and ready to go. My eyes pricked but I kept the tears inside.

"This is always the hardest part. But we were thinking, our tour ends in eight weeks, would it be okay if we went and visited you in San Diego after it's over?" Harry asked, looking from Jo to me.

"Of course!" Jo exclaimed, smiling widely. Eight weeks? I guess it was good to know that I'd see Niall again soon, but eight weeks sure seemed like a long time.

The next couple minutes passed in a blur. Jo and I hugged Harry, Louis, and Liam goodbye, promising to show them the sights of San Diego when they came to visit. I was able to keep my composure until I reached Liam, his arms open wide and his smile unconcerned. As his arms wrapped around me, a small sob escaped my mouth and he rubbed my back. "It's okay Jo. I'll see you sooner than you think," he said in my ear.

I pulled back and looked at him. "Eight weeks is such a long time!"

At first, he looked confused at my words, but then comprehension dawned on his face and he shrugged nonchalantly. "It'll be here sooner than you think," he said with a smile, as I scrubbed the tears from my face.

At that point, Zayn and Niall walked out of their rooms. Zayn enclosed Jo and I in a group hug, lifting us both off the ground and causing us to giggle. Niall embraced Jo and said something to her that I didn't catch, but which caused her to laugh. He looked over at me and sighed. "I don't want to say goodbye," he said.

I hugged him tightly and didn't let go for a long time. I pressed my face against his chest, feeling his heartbeat and breathing in his unique smell. When I finally let go, the tears were falling steadily from my eyes, and he wiped them away with a sad smile.

"Let's go then," I said in a quiet voice, as Jo and all the boys seemed to have been watching our goodbye.

We walked down to the parking lot, where the boys put their bags in the tour bus. We shared one last group hug, before Harry, Louis, Zayn, and Liam jumped on the bus. Jo walked slowly toward my car, pretending to be interested in her phone in order to give Niall and I some privacy. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to mine. It was soft and sweet, perfect for a goodbye kiss. The tears started falling again as I pulled away and wrapped my arms around his neck. I squeezed him gently, and kissed his cheek. "Eight weeks," he whispered, squeezing me back. I let go, and stared once more into those beautiful blue eyes before turning around and walking away, the tears falling all the while.


	13. Chapter 13

**Two Weeks Later**

"Happy birthday!" someone screamed in my face, causing me to pull the covers up over my head. I squirmed around a bit in my bed until I couldn't ignore the talking and giggling anymore. I emerged from the pile of blankets to see my mom, dad, twin brothers, and Jo standing at the end of my bed, holding a bunch of balloons. I smiled widely through my exhaustion, and gave each of them a big hug.

"Come downstairs Stells, we have breakfast for you!" my brother Aiden said with a smile, before turning and sprinting down the stairs. I smiled at his enthusiasm, but would never understand how he could be so awake so early in the morning. I pulled on a cute hoodie in order to look a little more presentable, because I was sure there would be many pictures taken. Eighteen was an important birthday, after all.

I checked my phone quickly before I joined my family downstairs, remembering how I had fallen asleep while texting Niall. There was one new message from him:

_Enjoy your last day of seventeen my love. Sweet dreams. Xoxox_

I smiled at the screen, thinking of the last two weeks. He had called me every day, and we talked for at least an hour, learning more about each other all the while. Sometimes Jo and I would group skype with the five boys, talks which were never awkward but always entertaining, especially with Harry and Louis's constant attempts to get Jo to spill about her new boyfriend. I wished I could say that it was as if Niall had never left, but it wasn't. I constantly ached for his contagious laugh and his cute remarks and his big blue eyes. _Six more weeks_, I reminded myself as I jumped down the stairs.

I entered the kitchen and saw a huge plate of French toast on the table. "Oh my goodness, my absolute favorite!" I squealed, hugging my mom. "Thank you so much!"

She just laughed at me as we all sat down at the table and dug in. When we finished, Jo and I went upstairs so I could get dressed. I was just pulling on my yoga pants and plaid flannel button-up when her phone rang. "Hello? Yes. Yeah, that's the one. Er, can you text me? Yeah I'm with Stella right now. Okay, talk to you soon." She dropped the call and rolled her eyes, although a grin was growing on her face.

"Who was that?" I asked, not really interested.

"Just Zack." Zack was Jo's crush of two years and boyfriend of almost two weeks. He had asked her out the day after we returned home from LA, and she was completely ecstatic. "Hey Stell, let me fix your hair." She plugged the flat iron in and straightened my hair, even though I had done it the night before.

"Why do I need to do my hair?" I complained. "We're just going to get our nails done!"

"Yeah, but we're going to dinner later, so this way you won't have to worry about it this afternoon." I saw her point, so I didn't press the issue. She stopped frequently to send texts, and every time she did, her smile grew bigger, although her fingers drummed nervously on the table.

"Stop flirting with Zack! I think my hair is straight already," I said, looking in the mirror and brushing through it with my fingers.

"No! I mean, uh, I need to fix the back! One second," she pleaded as she pulled out her phone yet again.

"Ugh fine, whatever." I pulled out my own phone and sent Zack a message, hoping to get my way on my birthday.

_Stop texting Jo when she's trying to do my hair!_

Zack and I weren't particularly close, but he replied within the minute.

_I'm not texting her. Happy birthday though!_

My eyebrows pinched in confusion as I reread the message. He wasn't texting her? Then why would she tell me he was? At that moment, the doorbell rang. I didn't think too much about it, as one of Aiden or Micah's friends were always stopping by. I heard my mom answer the door downstairs, and although I couldn't distinguish individual words, it sounded like she invited someone inside. _Great_, I thought. _She's supposed to be taking us to the nail salon!_ I heard a male voice answer her by the door and assumed it was one of my brothers' friends' fathers.

That theory was soon discarded as both Aiden and Micah ran into my room. _Surely if their friends were downstairs, they would be with them, not with me, right?_ They nodded at Jo and smiled suspiciously before jogging back down the stairs. Jo turned to me, finally powering off the iron. "We have a surprise for you," she said, clearly very excited.

I stood up, a smile growing on my face. "Okay, where to, chief?" I asked.

"Just stand up and close your eyes." She took my hand and led me down the stairs and into the living room. I heard hushed voices around me and could've sworn I saw a camera flash from behind my closed eyes. _Is this some sort of surprise party?_

Jo stood me in what I thought was the middle of the room. I still had no idea what was happening. _Maybe there's a present on the table? _ Jo released my hand. "Okay, open your eyes," she said, her voice shaking with excitement.

I opened my eyes and gazed upon the scene before me. Niall was standing right in front of me, smiling widely with his arms already outstretched. I was somewhat aware of Liam, Zayn, Louis, and Harry standing next to him, but I couldn't process much else before I jumped into Niall's waiting arms, nearly knocking him to the ground. I couldn't believe it. He was here! He put me down and kissed my forehead, keeping his arms around me. I kissed his cheek, then turned to hug the other boys.

"Liam!" He hugged me tightly and kissed me on the cheek before turning me over to Zayn, who picked me up and spun me around.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he said with a smile, putting me down.

Harry and Louis hugged me at the same time, both of them talking simultaneously so I couldn't understand a single word.

Not quite over the shock of seeing them, I asked, "What are you guys doing here?!"

I wound my way back to Niall and wrapped my arm around his waist, turning to look back at the others.

"Jo told us your birthday was coming up, and we decided that we couldn't miss it for the world," Liam responded sweetly, smiling down at me.

"I cleared the whole thing with your parents, so don't worry about that," Jo tacked on, causing me to laugh.

"You guys are the best, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present!" I squealed, leaning into Niall and feeling his lips on my hair.

Louis piped up, "Seriously, you think we're your present? That would be so lame. Dude, we got you an awesome present though." He grinned at me and came to give me another hug.

"Should we give it to her now?" Harry asked the other guys, but it was Jo who answered.

"You might as well, it will put her in a better mood for the rest of the day." She winked at me at me.

My parents and brothers walked into the room right then, and I made all the introductions. When Aiden saw my arm around Niall's waist, he said, "Ah, so you're Niall. We've heard so much about you." I blushed light pink, sending my brother a death glare.

Micah, picking up on some sort of twin telepathy, picked up where Aiden left off. "Oh mom and dad, you just _have_ to meet him, he's the sweetest boy I've ever met in my whole life," he said in a poor imitation of my voice. "And he's absolutely adorable! Those big blue eyes make me melt—"

"Okay enough!" I yelled, now bright red from embarrassment. Everyone in the room started laughing, including myself, and Niall gave my shoulders an encouraging squeeze.

"We wanted to be here when they give you your present," my mom explained. Did everyone know about this except for me?

"It's not exactly wrapped, but it's a present all the same," Liam said, turning to look at me. "Niall, I think you should do the honors."

"Alright then," Niall responded, "drumroll please!" Everyone in the room clapped their hands against their legs, creating a convincing drumroll. My heart pounded, not sure what to expect. "Stella, would you like to join us for the last six weeks of our tour?"

I gaped at him, expecting a "Just kidding!" or a burst of laughter. Instead, he gazed back at me, excitement evident in his eyes, waiting for my answer. I looked across at all the boys, who stared back at me expressions similar to Niall's. Once Jo and I made eye contact, though, I realized that this wasn't a joke. Her expression reassured me and sent tingles down my spine at the same time. _I was going on tour with One Direction._

"Yes!" I screamed, jumping on top of Niall again, earning applause and laughter from everyone in the room.

After dinner that night, the five boys, Jo, Zack, and I gathered around the firepit in my backyard. Everyone was huddled in close to the flames except Niall and I, who were swinging gently on my hammock a few feet away. We were speaking in low voices so none of the others could hear us, talking about nothing in particular, just glad to be in each other's company.

"You two having fun over there?" Louis asked rather obnoxiously, throwing a marshmallow at Niall's head. I stuck my tongue out at him while Niall gave him a thumbs up.

I was just telling Niall a story about my devious twin brothers when he abruptly turned to face me, interrupting my thoughts. "I love you Stella. I've loved you ever since our first date, it just took these last two weeks apart for me to realize it. I love you so much."

I stared at him in wonder, gazing into those beautiful blue eyes that were now filled with emotion. Not caring that six of our friends were sitting just a few feet away, not caring that my family was probably watching us through the window, I leaned over and pressed my lips against his. I leaned into the kiss, feeling his mouth smiling against mine.

When I finally pulled away, I said what I had been feeling ever since I first met him. "I love you," I said simply, a smile stretching across my face. He smiled back at me, twining my fingers with his. And like that, we lied back against the hammock, enjoying the laughter of our friends and the bliss of each other's company, overjoyed that our time together seemed to stretch out indefinitely before us.


End file.
